It was winter, which means it was dark approximately 20 hours a day. There was a freak blizzard so everything was covered snow, which, paradoxically, is not the norm in Iceland. Also, since Icelanders celebrate Christmas for 12 days, pretty much everything was closed.

I realize this is not everyone’s ideal vacation. But for us, it was heaven.

Seeing this was top 5 on my life bucket list. They dance. They literally waltz across the sky. It’s breath-taking and elusive and once in a lifetime.

3. Solitude.

We never fought jetlag. Since most stores and restaurants (and almost all museums) were closed anyways, our favorite time to explore was between 2 and 4am, wandering the deserted streets of Reykjavik or standing knee deep in snow outside our adorable Inn in Vik, staring at the sky, waiting for the Northern Lights to dance across the abandoned farmhouse next door.

4. Magic.

(insert photos)

Fairies. Iceland is magic. Pure, raw, unfiltered magic. It’s hard to describe. You have to FEEL it. The locals believe in Huldufólk – hidden people or elves… they build miniature versions of their homes and buildings to house them in the front yards. I LOVE IT SO HARD.

My friend Briana had one of these in her nursery and I pretty much lost my mind when I saw it. I had to have one. Immediately.

I ordered it the next day (not kidding) and the love affair is still going strong a year later. As shown, it was hung in our bedroom for the first 8 months or so, but is currently in the backyard hanging from a stand Briana had. (I owe her…not my firstborn, maybe my second.)

” Though she be but little, she is fierce.”

Jess Bailey is a creativity machine.

Kind, generous, faithful, and honest- She’s a loving wife, sister, daughter, and mama-to-be. She’ll put you at ease with her bubbly, positive personality and then knock you out with her general badass-ery.

This chick gets shit done.

*disclaimer- Jess was 3 months pregnant and I was breast-feeding when we did this interview. There were hormones everywhere. Just… hormones flying through the air, smacking into each other, and bursting into tears. It was intense.